2440 



PALM 



PALM 



tain species of Thrinax where the perianth is reduced 

 and deformed, and of Nenga where the sepals are longer 

 than the petals. There are nearly always six stamens, 

 both in the pistillate and staminate flowers, and except 

 in certain species of Oreodoxa (Roystonea) they are 

 always included. They are often in two series, one 

 opposite the sepals, the other opposite the petals, 

 always free, and nearly always inserted on the short 

 perianth-tube. The anthers are linear, oblong or arrow- 

 shaped, two-celled, the pollen usually ellipsoid or nearly 

 round, very rarely minutely spiny. The ovary is free, 

 ovoid or oblong or globose, and often found in a rudi- 

 mentary form even in staminate flowers, but some- 

 times lacking in the latter. There are mostly three cells, 

 but four and even up to seven cells are known in rare 

 cases. The ovule in each cell is solitary and almost 

 always erect. 



Great variety characterizes palm fruits. Some are 

 dry and hard almost stone-like fruits, others are fleshy 

 and even drupe-like. In many species there is a hard 

 fibrous coating to the fruit, as in the case of the coco- 



2732. A palm-house. 



nut. In other species the seed is free, but often it ad- 

 heres to the inner coat of the fruit; it nearly always 

 contains a copious albumen. 



The individual flowers and fruits of palms are borne 

 on a large inflorescence (spadix) which may or may not 

 be inclosed in a sheath-like structure (spathe). The 

 form and branching of this spadix varies much. One 

 character that seems to hold is that of the branching, 

 in one group of genera the spadix being either simple or 

 imperfectly branched, if compound then paniculate, 

 such as is found in Geonoma, Euterpe, and allied 

 genera; and in others the spadix is always pinnately 

 branched, the ultimate branches distichous if greater 

 ramification is present. 



Horticultural importance, and culture. 



Palms have been favorite greenhouse subjects from 

 the period of the first development of the glass plant- 

 house. The stereotyped form of conservatory is a 

 broad or nearly square structure, with narrow benches 

 around the sides over the heating-pipes and a palm-bed 

 in the center. In these conservatories a variety of 

 palms will succeed, requiring neither a very high tem- 

 perature nor much direct sunlight. (Fig. 2732.) In fact, 

 palms usually succeed best under shaded roofs. The 



palms are most satisfactory in their young state, before 

 the trunks become very prominent, and before the 

 crowns reach the glass. The larger number in houses 

 have pinnate or pinnatisect leaves, and these species 

 are usually the more graceful in habit, although the 

 fan palms are also much prized. Small palms are now 

 in great demand for room and table decoration, and a 

 few species are grown in enormous quantities for this 

 trade. They are sold when small. They usually perish 

 before they are large enough to be cumbersome. Among 

 the most popular of these palms are Chrysalidocarpus 

 lutescens, Howea Belmoreana and H. Forsteriana, Cocos 

 Weddelliana, Livistona chinensis, and possibly one or 

 two species of Phoenix. 



Some palms endure considerable frost without injury. 

 Of such are the sabals and the palmettoes of the south- 

 ern states. The saw palmetto (Serenoa serrulata) and 

 the blue palmetto (Rhapidophyllum Hystrix) occur as 

 far north as South Carolina. In Asia, Nannorhops 

 occurs naturally as far north as 34 and grows in the 

 mountains of Afghanistan where snow falls, and in 

 Europe. Chamaerops (the only palm indigenous to 

 Europe) reaches 44. 



The genera chiefly known to horticulturists are the 

 following : 



TRIBE ARECE^E. Lvs. pinnatisect, the Ifts. free or joined 



so as to form a plaited limb, the sides in vernation 



reduplicate: fls. monoecious or dioecious: seeds 



umbilicate, with ventral raphe and dorsal embryo. 



Areca, Pinanga, Kentia, Hydriastele, Kentiopsis, 



Hedyscepe, Nenga, Archontophcenix, Rhopalostylis, 



Dictyosperma, Ptychpsperma, Cyrtostachys, Drymo- 



phlceus, Cyphophcenix, Clinostigma, Cyphosperma, 



Euterpe, Acanthophoenix, Oreodoxa, Acrista, Bacularia, 



Linospadix, Howea, Ceroxylon, Verschaffeltia, Dypsis, 



Chamsedorea, Hyophorbe, Rpscheria, Geonoma, Calyp- 



trogyne, Bentinckia, Wallichia, Didymosperma, Arenga, 



Caryota, Phytelephas, Pseudophcenix, (Enocarpus. 



TRIBE PHOENICE.E. Lvs. pinnatisect, segms. acuminate 

 and ivith induplicate sides in vernation: spadices 

 interfoliar, the spathe solitary: fls. dioecious: carpels 

 3, only 1 maturing, the stigma terminal; seed 

 strongly ventrally sulcate, the embryo usually dorsal. 

 Phoenix. 



TRIBE CORYPHEE. Lvs. fan-shaped, wedge-shaped or 

 orbicular, plaited, more or less cut, the lobes with 

 induplicate sides: spadices interfoliar, the spathes 

 many: fls. usually perfect; ovary entire or 3-lobed 

 or sometimes the 1-3 carpels distinct, the ovule erect; 

 pericarp usually smooth; seeds with ventral raphe 

 and small hilum. 



Corypha, Sabal, Washingtonia, Chamaerops, Rha- 

 pidophyllum, Acanthorhiza, Brahea, Erythea, Pritch- 

 ardia, Licuala, Livistona, Trachycarpus, Rhapis, 

 Thrinax, Nannorhops, Serenoa, Copernicia, Teys- 

 mannia, Trithrinax, Coccothrinax. 



TRIBE LEPIDOCARYE^E. Lvs. pinnatisect or fan-shaped, 

 the segms. with reduplicate sides in vernation: 

 spadices terminal or axillary, the spathes numerous: 

 fls. polygamo-monoscious; ovary entire, more or less 

 3-loculed: fr. clothed with reflexed, shining, imbri- 

 cate, oppressed scales; seed with dorsal raphe and 

 ventral embryo. 

 Calamus, Ceratolobus, Raphia. 



TRIBE BORASSE.E. Lvs. orbicular, the segms. fan- 

 shaped and the sides induplicate: spadices inter- 

 foliar, the spathes many and sheathing: fls. dioecious, 

 the male minute and sunk in cavities on the spadix, 

 the female very large, ovary entire, 3-loculed, the 

 ovule ascending: fr. various. 

 Borassus, Lodoicea, Latania, Hyphsene. 



